Dr. Dinlen

By Melda Akansel - Dr. Caner Z. Dinlenç uses a robotic surgical method to perform prostate surgeries without the need for a scalpel, removing this surgery from being many a man’s most feared nightmare. Also performing kidney stone surgeries with the same method, Dr. Caner Z. Dinlenç has been signing off on success after success in the United States with his team at the Beth Israel Medical Center.

Dr. Caner Z. Dinlenç was born in the United States, his father having moved to that country in the sixties to pursue a master’s in engineering. The Dinlenç family, who had thrown themselves into their careers, decided to settle for good once their children were born and they have been there ever since. Caner Dinlenç pursued his studies in the United States and then choosing medicine, went on to study at Boston University Medical School. After staying in Boston for fourteen years, Dinlenç returned to New York and started a year-long specialization in Urological Surgery and Laparoscopy at the Long Island Jewish Center. Dr. Dinlenç was very careful and fastidious when he was choosing his field of specialty. The fact that there were not many urologists in his field and that there were only 3-5 in the whole country attracted his attention. Another point of interest for Dinlenç was that the use of technology was very common in urology. “In the early nineties, urology was the one within all of the surgical specialties that was the most open to the use of technology. That’s why I went into that direction,” he says as he explains why he chose urology.

Among the many Turkish patients that Dr. Caner Dinlenç sees, many come from Turkey specifically to be treated by him. He also has patients from all over the United States with New York, New Jersey and Connecticut leading the way. He says, “Ten to fifteen Turkish patients come to me per month, on average. As they refer me to one another this number keeps growing.” Dr. Caner Dinlenç examines nearly 300 patients each month and his surgical program is also quite full; he dons his scrubs an average of thirty times per month. ROBOTIC PROSTATE SURGERY ON THE INTERNET The robotic prostate surgery that Dr. Caner Dinlenç has been performing in his field of specialty for the past seven years can be seen on the Internet. He explains the importance and the specifics of this surgery that does not use a scalpel, therefore reducing blood loss: “We perform this surgery with a three armed robot. I sit at a computer and I perform the surgery by remote control. We perform the whole procedure without having to cut the patient open; we enter through three small holes smaller then the dimensions of a pencil. This procedure allows for the patient to have a much easier recuperation process, especially when we are removing cancerous cells. It is also very important for the man not to lose his erectile potential. With this surgery it is much more of a possibility to save the nerves from damage.” Another important factor with this surgical process is that there is less blood loss. In an open surgery, a blood loss of two liters is considered normal, but with this surgery that blood loss is about ten percent of that. Yet one more advantage of this method is that the patient returns to normal daily activities within two weeks; for example going back to work is no problem.

KIDNEY SURGERIES Dr. Dinlenç, who no longer performs open surgeries, also uses the same method to performs kidney surgeries, in addition to prostate surgeries. As he recounts his specialty, methods and experiences to medical students in classrooms, he also travels nationally and internationally to conferences to which he is invited to share his knowledge with his colleagues. Dr. Dinlenç is also invited to many conferences in Turkey where he is able to meet his colleagues during his lectures, which he gives both in Turkish and English.

Dr. Caner Z. Dinlenç’s future career plan is to teach the surgical procedure that he performs to other surgeons and to ensure that it becomes more widespread. In this aim he is very fastidious about teaching his assistants, as well as the doctors who travel from Turkey to learn from him. Additionally, Dr. Dinlenç also places importance on showing the way to young medical students and doctors, especially those who come from Turkey. He would like the surgeries that he performs to be performed in Turkey, but he says that it is still difficult.